**The Power of Small Steps: How At Work, Consistent Effort Creates Major Change**

Motivation is all too often misunderstood. Many people think it’s like a wave of energy that just bursts through at the right moment—then confidence is high, fear is eliminated, and all is right with the world. But the truth is that motivation does not usually come that way at all. Rather, it is often fostered step by step, forward moment by moment, no matter what the lack of visible progress may be.

One of the largest barriers to growth is to wait for “feeling ready.” Feeling ready is a comforting place, but it’s a “some assembly required” mindset. The point is, no one ever, ever, ever feels ready when starting a new thing. When you’re a sprinter, you don’t wait until you win a championship to start training. When you’re a writer, you don’t wait until every sentence is perfect before writing. Growth is a byproduct of the process, not the preparatory work. By taking action, you show yourself that fear doesn’t get to control what you do.

Small steps may not seem like much at first, but they are very effective because they can be sustained. Big dreams can seem daunting, especially when the gap from what you are to what you want to be seems like an insurmountable chasm. Small steps allow all those dreams to be achieved. Taking one step may not accomplish much in one day, but it will give you a new path, and path, not speed, beats everything.

Consistency trumps intensity. It’s better to do a little every day, which leads to developing habits, and habits are what build your identity. By being there for yourself every day, even if it’s in a small way, you’ll find that you begin to view yourself differently. You’ll no longer be that person who “wants to change” but rather that person who “is” change. It’s a big difference in terms of mentality because success isn’t just about accomplishing, it is also about being someone who can maintain.

“Failure” is also a part of the journey that usually deters people from moving ahead. Sometimes people think that the failures are personal to them, like they define what they can or cannot accomplish. The truth is that “failure” is feedback. It helps you know what is not working for you, which in turn helps you identify what could work for you. Every person who is successful in his or her chosen field knows what it's like to have failures, doubts, and times when you feel like quitting. It is not that they didn't fail, but that they didn't quit. Every attempt that you make, whether it's an success or an “unsuccess,” helps you better know yourself.

Keep in mind that progress is rarely a straight line either. There will be days when you feel inspired and confident, but days when you feel weighed down when little gets done. This is all just a part of the journey. Your journey is full of plateaus, setbacks, times when everything is unclear. But what’s most important isn’t what’s happening from one day to the next but whether you’re still getting out there each day.

Comparison can be a possible hindrance to motivation. In a world that has access to others’ success, it may be a temptation to compare your own progress towards others’. Each and every person has a different path. They start off from different places, struggle through different battles, and progress at different speeds. It may be impossible to always focus on your own development while comparing yourself to others. The only thing that counts is comparing yourself from yesterday.

Belief in oneself is the result of action, and positive thinking is insufficient. While positive talk and encouragement are good, the best way to develop a sense of belief in oneself is to demonstrate to oneself that one can follow through. Every small promise you make and keep adds to the power of believing in oneself. This, in turn, helps in creating resilience in oneself, the power to continue even when the circumstances become difficult.

Breaks and reflections are also needed equally well as hard work. Indeed, if one continues working uninterruptedly, it may result in burnout and disappointment. Taking a break enables one's brain and body to recharge and recover, and reflection enables one to see just how far he/she has traveled.Motivation is easier if one takes stock of how much one has accomplished, apart from how much more still has to be accomplished. Finally, motivation is something you wait for, but you make. When you decide to take that next step, no matter how small, you make motivation. When you use failure as an opportunity for growth instead of being afraid of it, you make motivation. When you take the time to be kind to yourself but still work towards progress, you make motivation. Everything starts with taking that first step, and continuing on because you decided not to stop. The fact that you are where you are doesn't mean that’s all there is to what you are capable of. It’s just where you are starting from. Putting in the work, believing in yourself, and finding the courage to keep moving forward allows you to create a future that fits what you want out of life. Taking one step at a time can lead to progress, which can lead to change.